1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wire harness leading-out structure for leading a plurality of wire harnesses out of a case.
2. Related Art
Waterproof means is provided, for example, at an electric connection box mounted in a place (as within an engine room) into which water can intrude. As one of such waterproof measures, a wire harness leading-out structure of the electric connection box also need to be formed into a waterproof construction. FIG. 7 shows one conventional structure of this kind disclosed in JP-A-2000-166058.
As shown in FIG. 7, this wire harness leading-out structure includes two harness notch grooves 101 and 102 formed in a case 100, and these harness notch grooves 101 and 102 are open to an upper edge of the case 100. A lower end surface of each of the harness notch grooves 101 and 102 is formed into a semi-circular shape, and a lower harness protective wall 101a, 102a of a semi-cylindrical shape is formed on and projects from the case 100 in continuous relation to the semi-circular surface. Water stop covers 103 and 104 are slidably mounted in the harness notch grooves 101 and 102, respectively.
Each of the water stop covers 103 and 104 includes a plate portion 103a, 104a for closing the harness notch groove 101, 102 except a harness receiving space thereof (in which a wire harness (not shown) is inserted), and an upper harness protective wall 103b, 104b of a semi-cylindrical shape formed integrally on and projecting from a lower end of the plate portion 103a, 104a. Namely, when each of the two water stop covers 103 and 104 is slidingly inserted into the harness notch groove 101, 102 until the upper harness protective wall 103b, 104b is brought into abutting engagement with the lower harness protective wall 101a, 102a of the case 100, a harness outlet port 105a, 105b of a circular shape is formed.
In the above construction, each of the wire harnesses (not shown) is inserted into the corresponding harness notch groove 101, 102, and then the lower end of each of the water stop covers 103 and 104 is brought into registry with the upper end of the harness notch groove 101, 102, and then is slid downward. Each water stop cover 103, 104 is slidingly inserted into the harness notch groove 101, 102 until the upper harness protective wall 103b, 104b is brought into abutting engagement with the lower harness protective wall 101a, 102a. As a result, the harness outlet port 105a, 105b is formed by the area of the harness notch groove 101, 102, which is not closed by the water stop cover 103, 104, and the area surrounded by the upper harness protective wall 103b, 104b and the lower harness protective wall 101a, 102a. The wire harnesses (not shown) are disposed in the harness outlet ports 105a and 105b, respectively.
With this waterproof structure, water can not easily intrude into the case 100 through the harness outlet ports 105a and 105b. 
In the above conventional wire harness leading-out structure, however, the number of each of the harness outlet ports 105a and 105b, formed by the water stop cover 103, 104 and the harness notch groove 101, 102, is one. Therefore, when it is desired to provide such a structure that a plurality of wire harnesses (not shown) are led out of the case 100, a plurality of harness outlet ports 105a (each formed by the harness notch groove 101 and the water stop cover 103) and a plurality of harness outlet ports 105b (each formed by the harness notch groove 102 and the water stop cover 104) need to be formed in the case 100, and therefore a large space must be secured.
It may be proposed to form a plurality of harness outlet ports 105a, 105b by the harness notch groove 101, 102 and the water stop cover 103, 104. However, when the adjacent harness outlet ports 105a, 105b are arranged consecutively with no gap formed therebetween, lateral displacement of the wire harnesses (not shown) can be prevented until the water stop cover 103, 104 is completely slidingly inserted.